{ "abstract": "Introduction: HER2-targeted therapy (HER2-TT) has improved outcomes in HER2+ metastatic breast cancer (MBC) with increasing numbers of long-term survivors in complete response (CR). Little is known about discontinuing maintenance HER2-TT in these patients.\n\nMethods: An online survey of physicians was conducted via the Breast International Group (BIG) network between 30 October 2024 and 1 January 2025 to gather insights on HER2-TT use.\n\nResults: A total of 237 physicians from 197 institutions in 38 countries answered the questionnaire. Most reported full access to trastuzumab (88.6%) and pertuzumab (80.6%). While 23.6% of physicians estimated that ≥30% of their HER2+ MBC patients diagnosed over the past decade are still alive >5 years post diagnosis, 86.1% reported that <25% of patients with no evidence of disease after treatment have discontinued HER2-TT. About 59.5% believed that HER2+ MBC can be cured, while 21.9% were unsure, and 18.6% believed that it cannot be cured. Less than half (43.9%) felt that maintenance HER2-TT could be stopped in patients in CR for prolonged period; 49.8% selected “maybe”. Opinions on timing of discontinuation after achieving CR were split: 21.1% favoured stopping after 1–<3 years, 25.3% after 3–<5 years and 40.5% after ≥5 years. Patient's choice was the most important factor in the decision making for discontinuing HER2-TT for 43.0% of physicians, followed by safety (31.6%) and physician's recommendation (15.2%).\n\nConclusions: Although majority of physicians believed that HER2+ MBC can be cured, most do not discontinue maintenance HER2-TT. Further data on outcomes after treatment cessation are needed to inform evidence-based optimization strategies.", "abstract_shown": true, "affiliations": [ "Division of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore, Singapore", "Division of Clinical Trials and Epidemiology Sciences, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore, Singapore", "Department of Medical Oncology, Maastricht University Medical Center+, Maastricht, the Netherlands", "Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties (Di.M.I.), School of Medicine, University of Genova, Genova, Italy", "Medical Oncology Unit, Ente Ospedaliero Ospedali Galliera, Genova, Italy", "Department of Oncology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan", "Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University Anam Hospital, Republic of Korea", "University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea", "Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgical Oncology, Sagara Hospital, Hakuaikai Medical Corporation, Kagoshima, Japan", "Hospital Clinic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain", "Medical Oncology dep. Donostia University Hospital - Biogipuzkoa. Osakidetza GEICAM (Spanish Breast Cancer Group), Spain", "Medical Oncology Department, Vall d’Hebron University Hospital and Breast Cancer Group, Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), Barcelona, Spain", "Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain", "School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia", "Breast Cancer Trials, Newcastle, NSW, Australia", "Division of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada", "Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada", "Department of Medical Oncology, Institut Jules Bordet, Hôpital Universitaire de Bruxelles, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium", "Department of Haematology-Oncology, National University Cancer Institute, Singapore, Singapore", "Division of Medical Oncology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Yonsei Cancer Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea", "Department of Medical Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital, CHUV and University of Lausanne, Switzerland", "Latin American Cooperative Oncology Group (LACOG), Porto Alegre, Brazil", "Division of Early Drug Development for Innovative Therapies, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milano, Italy", "Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milano, Milan, Italy", "Cancer Trials Ireland, 123 St Stephens Green, Dublin, Ireland", "School of Clinical Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China", "Department of Oncology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea", "Department of Medical Oncology, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan", "Breast International Group (BIG), Brussels, Belgium", "Duke-NUS (National University of Singapore) Medical School, Singapore" ], "article_type": "research article", "arxiv": null, "author_total": 28, "authors": [ { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Han Yi Lee" }, { "affs": [ 1 ], "name": "Whee Sze Ong" }, { "affs": [ 2 ], "name": "Vivianne Tjan-Heijnen" }, { "affs": [ 3, 4 ], "name": "Matteo Lambertini" }, { "affs": [ 5 ], "name": "Yen Shen Lu" }, { "affs": [ 6, 7 ], "name": "Kyong Hwa Park" }, { "affs": [ 8 ], "name": "Yasuaki Sagara" }, { "affs": [ 9 ], "name": "Maria Vidal" }, { "affs": [ 10 ], "name": "Ander Urruticoechea" }, { "affs": [ 11 ], "name": "Mafalda Oliveira" }, { "affs": [ 12 ], "name": "Eva Ciruelos" }, { "affs": [ 13, 14 ], "name": "Nicholas Zdenkowski" }, { "affs": [ 15, 16 ], "name": "Philippe L. Bedard" }, { "affs": [ 17 ], "name": "Michail Ignatiadis" }, { "affs": [ 18 ], "name": "Soo Chin Lee" }, { "affs": [ 19 ], "name": "Joohyuk Sohn" }, { "affs": [ 20 ], "name": "Khalil Zaman" }, { "affs": [ 21 ], "name": "Gustavo Werutsky" }, { "affs": [ 22, 23 ], "name": "Giuseppe Curigliano" }, { "affs": [ 24 ], "name": "Seamus O'Reilly" }, { "affs": [ 25 ], "name": "Janice Tsang" }, { "affs": [ 26 ], "name": "Sung-Bae Kim" }, { "affs": [ 27 ], "name": "Shigehira Saji" }, { "affs": [ 8 ], "name": "Shinji Ohno" }, { "affs": [ 28 ], "name": "Virginie Adam" }, { "affs": [ 28 ], "name": "Amal Arahmani" }, { "affs": [ 28 ], "name": "Carmela Caballero" }, { "affs": [ 0, 29 ], "name": "Yoon Sim Yap" } ], "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/fv8st2ky5s5wf.bib", "cited_by": 0, "doi": "10.1016/j.breast.2026.104935", "fulltext_url": "https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13738140/", "id": "fv8st2ky5s5wf", "issns": [ "0960-9776", "1532-3080" ], "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.breast.2026.104935", "language": "en", "licence": "CC-BY-NC-ND-4.0", "licence_label": "CC BY-NC-ND 4.0", "licence_source": "article", "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/", "metadata_licence": null, "native_subjects": [ [ "heading", "Original Article" ], [ "openalex", "2730|HER2/EGFR in Cancer Research" ] ], "openalex": "W7221514359", "pdf_url": "https://www.thebreastonline.com/article/S0960-9776(26)00245-6/pdf", "pmcid": "PMC13738140", "pmid": "42950386", "published": "2026-10-12", "publisher": "Elsevier", "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/fv8st2ky5s5wf.ris", "sources": [ { "first_seen": "2026-11-09T12:23:10Z", "native_id": "PMC13738140", "source": "pmc", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.breast.2026.104935" } ], "subjects": [ { "field": "medicine", "origin": "openalex:2730|HER2/EGFR in Cancer Research", "subfield": "oncology" } ], "title": "To stop or not to stop? International physician survey on HER2 targeted therapy for metastatic breast cancer patients in remission", "title_text": "To stop or not to stop? International physician survey on HER2 targeted therapy for metastatic breast cancer patients in remission", "type": "peer-reviewed", "updated_at": "2026-11-09T12:23:10Z", "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/fv8st2ky5s5wf", "venue": "The Breast : Official Journal of the European Society of Mastology", "versions": [] }